Tornados can cause considerable damage. Tornados develop from weaker vortices that “spin up” into tornados. The development of a tornado can proceed very quickly, sometimes in a matter of minutes. The force of a tornado requires a low pressure in the center of a cyclonic wind that is created by an upward flow of air. This upward flow of air is due to the air in the center at the surface being lighter as a result of being warmer and lighter than the air above.
In a cyclonic wind, the air swirls around a center thereof in a downward spiral until it reaches the bottom that is sealed by the earth, whereupon the air, having nowhere else to go, rises through the center of the cyclonic wind due to it being lighter than the air at the top of the cyclonic wind. The air that rises is replaced by air that has spun around the center on its way to the bottom of the cyclonic wind in a vortex. The vortex of air whirling around the center creates a “wind wall” separating the interior of the cyclone from the outside to maintain stability. In addition, the centrifugal force created by the swirl helps decrease the density of the air in the center, since warm air, that is lighter, preferentially remains in the center as the centrifugal force moves the heavier, colder air to the outside of the vortex.
One approach to reducing tornado wind damage is disclosed in U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2008/0035750. The damage from cyclonic winds may be reduced by disrupting the stability required to maintain the cyclonic wind. This may be accomplished by firing an explosive device directly at the cyclonic wind. For example, the explosive device may be directed by a high-flying airplane or rocket down the funnel of the tornado to stop the upward flow of air. While the use of an explosive device has been generally discussed, there is a need for a more comprehensive approach that can be applied on a larger scale.